Day 18 : 28 Nov.2008 Alone in Mae Sai

When the people were leaving the mosque after the Friday prayer I spotted the group of jamaat that I had met in Pai earlier.So after I finished my Zohor prayer one of them took me to Hj.Koyung's house as they were expecting me and Ramly in Mae Sai.I was given a room in one of Hj.Koyung guest house.This is not the usual backpackers place but a private quarter of 4 houses attached in a row which the owner built right behind his house for guests and jamaat activities.My room is just 5 mins walk to the mosque and there are about 4 Yunnanese Muslim restaurants along the way.The 3 in 1 formula of food, lodging and masjid applies.

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Day 17 : 27 Nov.2008. Back to ChiangMai .

We planned to go to Laos but Ramly wanted to stay longer in Pai to watch the 3 days Film and Music Festival which will begin on Saturday .So we split ways and agreed to meet at Mae Sai on the Mynmar Border. Mae Sai is about 3 hrs bus ride to Chiang Kong the border post to get to Laos.And Mae Sai is the last border town in North Thailand and opposite across the Sai River is Mynmar.Tachilik the first border town inside Mynmar .

I left Pai at about 8 am and stay overnight at Chiang Mai. At 8.30 am the next day I was on the Green Bus VIP seat(650 Bhat) heading for Mae Sai.Its a 5 hrs ride to Mae Sai and I skipped going to Chiang Rai as I been there before.Reaching Mae Sai at about noon I rushed to the mosque only to find the congregation had just finished the Friday prayer.The same incident happened once to me at "Grande Mosquee de Paris" ie (The Great Mosque of Paris) [ In 1975-76 I did a lone one year overland trip India -Europe.]

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Scenes around Pai



Ripe paddy ready for harvesting



Farmland for next season crop


Pai River Commercialised

Day 16 : 26 Nov.2008 Wandering around Pai

Renting a bike is the most popular way to go sight seeing around Pai.Motor bike can be rented for 200 Bhat a day 24hrs at aYa service Motorbike center at Chaisongkran Rd aboutt 200 meters from the bus station.Bicycles are also available for rent.

Being a neighbor to Thailand our culture and geographical landscapes do not differ much from Thailand.So places of tourist interest do not matter much to me.It is the interaction with people that we meet everyday that interest me. Sometimes its the fruit seller on the street that make grab your camera to have a nice shot. It can be the naked kids playing in rain or old folks sitting on the stairs watching time pass endlessly or even the touts at the border trying to make some money out of you.Endless themes from morning till night and there's always something new every minute of the day.

To be brief Pai worth visiting and tourist industry here is has identified many interesting spots and activities for the various needs of tourist and independent travelers.And although I did not see all after the third day I feel its time for me to leave and go to another place somewhere.

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Rotee in WW Combi



Are you Ting Tong ?




Bangkok BankCurrency Exchange and ATM



Pai Way of Life


Day 15 : 25 Nov.2008

Pai Miscellanous

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The Everywhere Man Ustaz Rahmat of Pai


Day 14 : 26 Nov.2008 Ustaz Rahmat of Pai.

Coincident do happen on international level. And out of the blues it happen to me in Pai.
Well we come from a small town but several times bigger than Pai in size. Almost every time and probably most of the you are bound to bump into familiar faces in the public. You meet these faces sometimes in the post office, grocery stores ,petrol kiosks, book shops,mosque, wet market,school and etc.

So there is this middle age religious school teacher by the name of Ustaz(Malaysian Mullah) Rahmat. We are friends and we knew each other since kids. It seems that he is always around where ever I go.One day I took a 3 hrs bus ride to meet Ramly in Kuala Lumpur.When the bus arrived in Kuala Lumpur I was the first person to leave. As I was getting out of the bus there stood Ustaz Rahmat at the entrance door waiting to board the same bus back home.We greeted each other and he insisted on knowing what I was doing in Kuala Lumpur.

In Pai we met and befriended this Mynmar man picture above. He was trying to sell us gems stone from Mynmar but we politely decline his offer.And we seem to meet him everywhere we go in Pai. At mosque in the market and at the eating stall hes everwhere.
An Australian traveller we met in the morning told us that there is a sunday weekend market on the outskirt of Pai but we need to hire motor cycle to go there.That we did and again we met this Mynmar man in the sunday market about 5 kilometres away from Pai. And again he tried to sell the stones to us.So Ramly told us we should name this guy as Ustaz Rahmat of Pai.

Dog looking for breakfast

Day 13 : 25 Nov.2008. The dogs did'nt bark in Pai

Dogs and cats are everywhere in the world for as long as there are men.Some dogs are nasty and dangerous to kids.Some attack approaching strangers.You can see plenty of dogs in the early cold morning in Pai looking for breakfast just like human and they sure know where to go looking for foods.....the street stalls.You will have a tough time trying to enjoy your meal because these dogs insist on sharing your food with them by coming close to you.When chased away they withdraw only to come back seconds after.So in order to have some peace people contribute a slice for them.

I used to have trouble with dogs on my way to dawn prayer so I carry a stick just in case they attack.Surprisingly not in Pai.Although no one was around the dogs there did not bark nor even wish to attack you.When you are alone and they outnumber you thats where misfortunes sometimes occur.Beware of the growl of the fiercest thats the leader.It happened in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

We rented a motor bike for 200 Bhat a day and went riding through Pai and the country side.We visited remote farming villages where dogs are on the loose and plenty.It seemed strange they did not bark, chase or attack us. I was wondering why they do not behave like city dogs do.

The reason I concluded is dogs behave the way their master taught them.The people of Pai villages are friendly and they smile to strangers.They greet each other and strangers are not regarded as trespassers rather as visitors.So dogs there are reared only to protect their farms against intruders ( be it men or animals) and are not trained to chase and bark at strangers.

Halal rice porridge for breakfast


Best halal stall in town


Fresh Chao Kiow



Pai Masjid

There is only one masjid in Pai. No statistic is available but judging from the daily attendance at the mosque the muslim population here is small.Local said there are about 20 muslim families making the muslim population here around 200-250 people only.Although small in numbers the muslim here made their present felt.Its normal to see women and young girls wearing the hijab in the street and even while doing business.

In the compound of the mosque stand proud a madrasa catering for the religious requirment to teach children of local.About 30 students board the hostel memorising the Quran under a Hafiz teacher.

Helping the Imam is a blind Hafiz and alim Muhamad Islah who studied in South Africa and two years in Kuala Lumpur.We were lucky to be able to listen to his beautiful Quranic recitation when he lead prayers durind the imam absence.We were told the imam was sick an unwell.Muhammad Islah was just married when we arrived and he had to be lead hand held to the masjid everyday.

Strange but it is the work of Allah we were feasted with his wedding walimah( wedding feast) in Chiang Mai before we even arrive in Pai.A family of Mohammad Islah in Chiang Mai who could not attend his wedding was delivered packet of Biryani and we happened to be his guest on that day.


Pai has 2 muslim restaurants with one selling standard Asian food and the other specialising in frs home made bread and ala carte menu.But for those who love street foods there are several stalls to choose.We love the hot porrige at Ali' stall.It appears that the Chinese muslims of north thailand like to name their children after the names of prophets. Favourite are Yusuf,Musa,Ali , Omar,Muhammad etc.

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Central Pai. Man this guy is everywhere



A scenic view Pai street near the mosque.




Pai Central Bus Station in the early morning

The main bus station is just a square among rustic buildings. All very laid back and has all the ingredients to become hippies haven.Travelers come and go some return again.It was just a stopover destination a few years ago but now locals have tasted the good taste on tourist money.

The advantage of staying in a small town is that all your needs are located nearby.We found a cozy hut style guesthouse (Duang Guesthouse) just opposite the bus station at N0.5 Rungsiyanon Rd. for 300 Bhat. It has a self enclosure garden around every room with part of the bathroom floor done with pebbles finishing.When you shower it is as if the water run through a stream of pebbles.Simple creative ingenuity.

Five minutes walk to the left is the main walking street and food hawkers assembly lane where you can watch fresh cooked foods being prepared.Further up on the same road of the bus station is the town mosque.

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Route 1095 : Picture courtesy of Phishtopher.




Route 1095 : Picture courtesy of Phishtopher





Route 1095 : Picture courtesy of Phishtopher



Day 12 : 24 Nov 2008. Journey to Pai in the Sky.

Travelers seem to be talking about Pai as a nice place worth visiting.To get there you can take a bus or van ( 10 people only ) from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station.By van it cost 150 Bhat for a 4 hrs journey on route 1095 with 762 curves on 124 km. journey.The scenery along the way is simply breathtaking untouched my mans devastating arms of development.It should be preserved as a natural wealth of the future generations.Thumbs up for the forestry policy of Thailand.

It is in this part of the world you can say that we are part of nature and nature is part of man.Man and nature coexist mutually.Destroying one would destroy the other.Here you can feel the freshness in the the air that we breath and see watch blue sky truly blue devoid of factory pollution.Sad to say that the natural beauty of Malaysian forest has disappeared into the pockets of the rich and our ruthless politicians.

Through out all the way to Pai I sat in silence enjoying natures gift to man.Half way between the journey our van stopped at a pass where Thai Police and Army in M16 conduct routine check on the passengers.We are approaching the Burmese border.....illegal immigrants,drugs and smugglers etc common international border activities.

Pai is small valley town amidst the range of hills and mountains.It has few streets and not many cars on the road.People drive slow and theres no reason for the Manhattan or Tokyo rush.Its printed on the T-Shirts that is selling there," Do Nothing in Pai."

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